Punters splash out after wet weather draws them in

When it falls in Spain, it's mainly on the plain, but in Brisbane on the morning of a cricket Test, rain always sends punters scurrying to back the draw. "Like the rain, they came from the clouds to back the draw," Col Greer from Bill Hurley's Australian Sportsbook said. "We took bets of $5000 at $3, $5000 at $2.90, and another $4000 at $2.85 all on the draw. "We did also take money through the week on Australia, including $11,000 at $1.58 and $5000 at $1.60, and we took one bet of $60,000 to $5000 on India."

It was the same at SportsTAB. "They jumped on the draw when they saw it was raining in Brisbane," SportsTAB's Glenn Munsie said yesterday. "We took a bet of $10,000 at $3 during the week, then this morning we took $5000 at $3, $4000 at $2.85 and $2700 at $2.80 for the draw.

"Another betting option that was popular when it rained was the number of runs scored in the first session. We took a bet of $7500 at $2.30 on between 0-75 runs being scored."

LESS IS MORE: The rain has also encouraged punters to launch into the individual scores category, with players being backed to make fewer runs than usual in the first Test.

"We took bets of $3000 at $4, $2500 at $4, and $2000 at $3.50 on Matthew Hayden scoring between 0 and 25, and another bet of $3500 at $5.25 on Hayden getting between 26 and 49," SportsTAB's Munsie said. "We also did similar business with Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar. We took bets of $4000 at $3.50, $2500 at $3.50, and $3000 at $3.15 on Ponting getting between 0 and 25 and $4500 on him getting between 26 and 49. On Tendulkar, the bets were $2500 at $3.50 [twice] and $3000 at $3.25 on between 0 and 25 and $5000 on him scoring between 26 and 49 at $5."

TONS ON WAUGH: Steve Waugh is also attracting attention from punters in this, his final Test series for Australia. SportsTAB are offering an under/over option on his runs for the series, with the total set at 275.5. They are also betting on the number of centuries Tugga will score during the Indian series. Favourite is none at $1.90, ahead of one century at $2.40, with two or more the outsider at $6.

YOU WIN ONE WORLD CUP ... The groups have been decided for next year's Euro 2004 soccer competition, so let the betting begin. The biggest bet taken so far by Australian Sportsbook has been $5000 on England at $3.25 to win group B. Favourites for the group are France at $1.70, with Croatia at $9 and Switzerland $11. In group A, money has come for Spain, with one bet of $3000 at $2.40, and Portugal. The Portuguese are favourites at $2.20 from Spain at $2.35, Russia at $8.50 and Greece at $10. Italy dominate group C at $1.70 from Denmark at $4.75, Sweden at $5 and Bulgaria at $10, while in group D there has been money for the Netherlands ($2.30), the Czech Republic ($2.75) and Germany ($3.65), while Latvia are unwanted at $23.

HOARSE TO FOLLOW: She is too young to bet, but that hasn't stopped the young niece of a British man tipping him winners. Having already backed the winners of the Grand National and The Derby thanks to his niece's know-how, the punter has invested heavily with UK bookie William Hill on what will be the No.1 tune in Britain this Christmas. The punter will collect about $50,000 if the English rugby anthem Swing Low, Sweet Chariot by UB40, makes its way to the top of the Yuletide charts.

SOAPS AND POWDER: They bet on anything in Britain. You can have a wager on which TV program will be the most watched on Christmas Day. Classic comedy Only Fools And Horses is favourite ahead of the 8.30pm instalment of soapie Eastenders. Third pick is the 6pm screening of Eastenders, followed by the old favourite Coronation Street. And, of course, you can bet on snow. Scottish city Aberdeen is favourite for a White Christmas ahead of joint second picks Cardiff, Glasgow, London, and Manchester.

A KINGS RANSOM: After the Sydney Kings this week lost starting guard Jason Smith for the season, an Australian Sportsbook client backed the Wollongong Hawks to win the NBL title. His bet of $10,500 to $3000 was not looking too flash after the Hawks were well beaten in Adelaide two days later.

PAR FOR THE COURSE: Most of the golf betting action is for the Australian Masters, with the usual suspects - Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley, Peter Lonard, Robert Allenby, and Geoff Ogilvy - all being backed. Australian Sportsbook also took a decent bet of $500 each way at $51 on the "other" Ogilvie, American Joe.

BEST BET: New York Jets at $2.27 with Australian Sportsbook against Buffalo Bills in the NFL.